Brixton news, rumours and general chat - February 2017

[Winot]

I was just in town and went to see where the fridge is. There was no security at all at the entrance to pop, just walked straight in.

Yeah well that's cos you're a hipster

 

[editor]

Not to my knowledge. How it was (strong word) "invented" appears to be anything but clear-cut, evidence of it emerging gradually in various ancient texts.

Also, lexical note. The term "yoga" in its original form describes a whole philosophy, deriving from Hindu and Buddhist tradition. In the West, it has come to describe the breathing, stretching and movement exercises which form a small part of its overall theory and practice.

It's also become a right old cash cow in gentrifying areas. Throw in some button-pushing, on-trend entrepreneurial twist - something like a "candle lit class set to a special playlist meditation music and alpha waves" - and watch the well heeled nu-locals roll in!

 

[editor]

Here's a sensible response on Buzz re: the community fridge

I have followed the development of the project and do know it was initially denied planning permission by the council, as mentioned above.

The presence of security at the door is a concern and I agree with the writer that this could either put off people in need or flat out deny them access.

I’m sure someone from the team behind the fridge will respond, but it would be interesting if you could speak to them for a follow-up piece. If it is a trial and the Pop Brixton proves problematic, I do hope it is moved to a better location.

I have written to them.

 

[editor]

Feedback from one of the people behind the project. I think it's been positive to get this discussion going. Maybe, with a bit of luck, someone will be able to offer an alternative space as a result.

The People’s Fridge has been in Pop Brixton purely on a trial basis, whilst we tested how we could run the project safely, and worked with the council to seek planning permission to put the Fridge on Pope’s Road. See our application here: 16/06101/FUL | Provsion of a community fridge involving landscaping to the front facade including installation of new planters. Provision of bins and information boards with graphics. | Pop Brixton 49 Brixton Station Road London SW9 8PQ

Unfortunately, the council food safety team has since told us we aren’t able to have the Fridge on the street unless it is staffed the entire time. Which we can’t afford to do.

Be assured we are working to make the Fridge more accessible to the public as soon as we can.

Thanks for your general support of the project.

 

[alex_]

outside of a tiny handful of people here, I've yet to find anyone who thinks the location is a good one.

I've not seen anyone say pop is a good location for it.

Alex

 

[editor]

I've not seen anyone say pop is a good location for it.

Alex

Haven't seen many people here say it's a bad location.

 

[alex_]

Haven't seen many people here say it's a bad location.

I'm glad to see it open, that pop have welcomed it when others said no - fair play pop.

Alex

 

[isvicthere?]

It's also become a right old cash cow in gentrifying areas. Throw in some button-pushing, on-trend entrepreneurial twist - something like a "candle lit class set to a special playlist meditation music and alpha waves" - and watch the well heeled nu-locals roll in!

Indeed!

 

[teuchter]

Not to my knowledge. How it was (strong word) "invented" appears to be anything but clear-cut, evidence of it emerging gradually in various ancient texts.

Also, lexical note. The term "yoga" in its original form describes a whole philosophy, deriving from Hindu and Buddhist tradition. In the West, it has come to describe the breathing, stretching and movement exercises which form a small part of its overall theory and practice.

I thought I'd heard it said that it was originally used for training fighters but a little bit of reading just now suggests more that it's a case of it having been "re-invented" in colonial India to incorporate poses heavily influenced by military calisthenics.

The Origins of Yoga: Part III

I make no claims to be an expert on the matter though.

 

[Rushy]

I'm glad to see it open, that pop have welcomed it when others said no - fair play pop.

Alex

It certainly looks like it would not currently be in operation if it were not for Pop giving it a home, temporary or otherwise. Pop's traders seem pretty intrinsically involved - as do Carl Turner Architects who prepared the planning application.

 

[cuppa tee]

I was just in town and went to see where the fridge is. There was no security at all at the entrance to pop, just walked straight in. When I first saw an article about the fridge last week my initial question was whether it's located somewhere very visible because maybe people would feel uncomfortable using it in view of lots of people sitting around. It's down at the far corner from the main entrance so not in view of the main seating area.

I see the main seating area has those gas heaters which were all on. That's not really in line with any claimed eco credentials. If anyone wants a suggestion for valid complaints against pop. Maybe a local news outlet can do a carefully researched energy use audit.

what was in the fridge ?

 

[editor]

what was in the fridge ?

I can answer that. A small pile of carrots, a carton of tomato juice, a bit of cake, two courgettes, one cauliflower, two turnips and a can of baked beans.

 

[editor]

I'm glad to see it open, that pop have welcomed it when others said no - fair play pop.

Which 'others' said 'no'?

 

[teuchter]

what was in the fridge ?

Looked like mostly vegetables.

 

[Rushy]

Looked like mostly vegetables.

I'm surprised that no one has taken detailed notes.

 

[alex_]

Which 'others' said 'no'?

"Unfortunately, the council food safety team has since told us we aren’t able to have the Fridge on the street unless it is staffed the entire time."

Alex

 

[editor]

"Unfortunately, the council food safety team has since told us we aren’t able to have the Fridge on the street unless it is staffed the entire time."

Alex

You have a strange way of spinning things. No other places/venues/locations said 'no' as you claimed. Unless you've sen something I haven't, no other places were even asked. It was entirely down to the council.

And Pop didn't exactly 'welcome' it seeing as it was their own idea in the first place. They just stuck it outside their office.

 

[cuppa tee]

I can answer that. A small pile of carrots, a carton of tomato juice, a bit of cake, two courgettes, one cauliflower, two turnips and a can of baked beans.

"LET THEM EAT SOUP"

 

[teuchter]

"LET THEM EAT SOUP"

...as they say down at the Brixton Soup Kitchen?

 

[elmpp]

And Pop didn't exactly 'welcome' it seeing as it was their own idea in the first place. They just stuck it outside their office.

Internet's unbendable man strikes again

 

[editor]

Internet's unbendable man strikes again

Ah, you've come back thinking you can just carry on disrupting threads with more random personal attacks?
Sorry. It doesn't work like this and I've lost count of the amount of times you've been repeatedly asked to stop. Oh well, Take a week off.

 

[cuppa tee]

...as they say down at the Brixton Soup Kitchen?

haha.....tbh I was lost for words at the editors list of goodies which came to less than the price of a pint of craft ale, I thought of the options to concoct a meal from the list and thought a soup might be possible and then I thought of pops marketing and the troughing that goes on there which led to my cynical post."..

 

[editor]

haha.....tbh I was lost for words at the editors list of goodies which came to less than the price of a pint of craft ale, I thought of the options to concoct a meal from the list and thought a soup might be possible and then I thought of pops marketing and the troughing that goes on there which led to my cynical post."..

I hope they manage to relocate this fridge outside of Pop because the idea is bang on.

Regardless of the door security issues at Pop, it just seems a bit rubbish to make hungry people push past well-stuffed foodie-lovin' boozers'n'grazers just to grab whatever crumbs have been left in the fridge right at the back.

It doesn't sit right with me, but no doubt some people wont have any issues at all with the idea.

 

[cuppa tee]

I hope they manage to relocate this fridge outside of Pop because the idea is bang on.

Regardless of the door security issues at Pop, it just seems a bit rubbish to make hungry people push past well-stuffed foodie-lovin' boozers'n'grazers just to grab whatever crumbs have been left in the fridge right at the back.

maybe a green oasis where people could grow stuff and learn horticultural skills would be more empowering....

 

[T & P]

I hope they manage to relocate this fridge outside of Pop because the idea is bang on.

Regardless of the door security issues at Pop, it just seems a bit rubbish to make hungry people push past well-stuffed foodie-lovin' boozers'n'grazers just to grab whatever crumbs have been left in the fridge right at the back.

It doesn't sit right with me, but no doubt some people wont have any issues at all with the idea.

But is that any different to the fridge being located at Brixton Village, which has been mentioned here as a suitable alternative? Or indeed most other venues that could host it. I doubt anyone in need of the service who had such misgivings would feel any more comfortable elsewhere. To them (sadly) every other venue would feel just as out of reach.

 

[cuppa tee]

But is that any different to the fridge being located at Brixton Village, which has been mentioned here as a suitable alternative? Or indeed most other venues that could host it. I doubt anyone in need of the service who had such misgivings would feel any more comfortable elsewhere. To them (sadly) every other venue would feel just as out of reach.

tbh the list posted by the editor doesn't even need a fridge......

 

[editor]

But is that any different to the fridge being located at Brixton Village, which has been mentioned here as a suitable alternative? Or indeed most other venues that could host it. I doubt anyone in need of the service who had such misgivings would feel any more comfortable elsewhere. To them (sadly) every other venue would feel just as out of reach.

I think it's quite a bit different. Brixton Village has a long history of being a busy, open thoroughfare for all to use, and there's still 'normal' (i.e. affordable and untrendy) shop units there. To find the food at Pop you have to get past the security at the sole entrance, find your way past a very homogeneous eating and drinking crowd and then locate the fridge, right at the back.

 

[T & P]

I think it's quite a bit different. Brixton Village has a long history of being a busy, open thoroughfare for all to use, and there's still 'normal' (i.e. affordable and untrendy) shop units there. To find the food at Pop you have to get past the security at the sole entrance, find your way past a very homogeneous eating and drinking crowd and then locate the fridge, right at the back.

I myself doubt those in need of using this service would think of the punters at Pop being any different to those at the Village, or have the inclination to indulge in such demographic analysis in the first place. Never mind that the Village has been regularly criticised here over the last few years for allegedly hosting the same kind of homogeneous crowd as Pop.

As for the location of the fridge, I can't comment about its suitability as I don't know where it is, but I'm pretty sure the front courtyard, which has always been the busiest in the entire site, would be just about the very last place anyone uncomfortable with being observed taking food from the fridge would want it to be.

 

[editor]

I myself doubt those in need of using this service would think of the punters at Pop being any different to those at the Village, or have the inclination to indulge in such demographic analysis in the first place.

The point being that almost everyone knows exactly where Brixton Village/Granville Arcade/Market Row is and it still feels relatively 'open.' I've never seen bag searches in operation there, and it doesn't suffer from a single, patrolled entrance which may seem intimidating to those who don't 'fit in' with the place. That's not to say I think it's the perfect place for the fridge, but I'd argue that it's a better choice than than Pop.

The fact that the Village still manages to service most sections of the community (and is not almost exclusively aimed at cash stuffed foodies, street food grazers and wine buyers), and the fact that it's been established as a thoroughfare for nearly a hundred years makes it a damn sight more accessible than the newly arrived Pop IMO.

As for the location of the fridge, I can't comment about its suitability as I don't know where it is, but I'm pretty sure the front courtyard, which has always been the busiest in the entire site, would be just about the very last place anyone uncomfortable with being observed taking food from the fridge would want it to be.

Best put it right at the back with no signage so someone new to Pop would probably take ages to find it then, yes?

 

[DietCokeGirl]

Other ideas- the library, Brixton pound cafe, St mathews church, Brixton advice center....